Golf glove



06L 1963 J. A. CHRISTOPHER 3,105,972

GOLF GLOVE Filed D90. 18, 1961 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,105,972. GOLF GLOVE John A. Christopher, 261 Kenmore Ave, Elmhurst, Ill. Filed Dec. 18, 1961, Ser. No. 160,046 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-161) This invention relates to golf gloves and has to do with means for assuring a firm grip of the handle or grip porand is also true in making a shorter swing. Many golfers,

particularly the less experienced ones, have difliculty in retaining a firm grip with the upper hand-the left hand in the case of right handed golfers and the right hand in the case of left handed golfersof the handle of the club throughout the swing, without objectionable muscular tension. If the grip is relaxed at any point during either the back swing or the down swing, the club will turn and the face of the club head Will not meet the ball squarely. That results in either a hook or a slice, usually the later, and the ball is apt to go to one side of its intended flight. On the other hand, if the club is gripped too tightly the arm muscles are placed under tension with the result that the arm becomes more or less rigid and stiff and the ball is not hit accurately. In either case, the golfer is apt to concentrate on properly gripping the club. That detracts from concentration on hitting the ball, which should be done to the exclusion of all else.

An important object of my invention is to provide a golf glove which assures a firm grip on the golf club without conscious effort on the part of the golfer and without muscular tension, so that he can concentrate on hitting the ball with a free and relaxed swing. To that end I provide the glove with an elastic band secured thereto at one end. The elastic band is of proper width and so disposed that it can be drawn under tension about the outer fingers of the hand, leaving the thumb and the index finger free for an interlocking or Varden grip. I also provide means for releasably attaching the other end of the elastic band to the glove with the band under desirable tension, such attaching means being quickly releasable and readily adjustable for adjusting the tension of the elastic band. Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detail description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a palm view of a golf glove embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 but with the elastic band turned back to expose the attaching members secured thereon;

FIGURE 3 is a back view of the glove of FIGURE. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the glove of my invention as used in gripping the handle or grip of a golf club;

FIGURE 5 is a back veW of the glove of my invention as used in gripping a golf club as in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a back view of the glove of FIGURE 1 with the elastic band attached to the back of the glove in position leaving the palm of the glove unobstructed for putting; and

FIGURE 7 is a palm view of theglove of my invention with the elastic band disposed as in FIGURE 6.

I have shown my invention, by way of example, as embodied in a golf glove of conventional type having full length finger and thumb stalls, and which is intended to be worn on the left hand. My inventon may equally well be embodied in a right hand glove, for a left handed golfer, or in a conventional golf mitt, either right or left hand,

"ice

as will be understood. Accordingly, the term glove as used herein is inclusive of mitts and analogous articles and is to be construed accordingly.

The glove 10 is, as noted above, of conventional type, is formed of readily pliable material, such as pig skin, for example, and is perforated, as is usual. The Wrist of the glove 10 maybe provided with a gathered seam or pocket 11 containing a strip of elastic (not shown), to provide a snug fit about the wearers wrist. A tab 12, stitched to one side of the wrist portion, carries a socket member 13 which cooperates with a stud '14 secured to the other side of the wrist, providing snap fastening means of known type. The particular structure of the wrist portion of the glove and the associated fastening means are not essential to my invention, and the wrist portion of the glove, or mitt, as the case may be, can be of any suitable type and provided with any suitable fastening means, as desired and as will be understood.

Referring to FIGURE 1, an elastic band 16 is secured at one end in any suitable manner, conveniently by stitching 17, to the inner or palm side and the base portion of thumb stall 18 of glove 1% The end portion of band 16 secured to the glove is disposed at an inclination transversely of the palm and away from the wrist thereof, for a purpose to be explained more fully later. The elastic band 16 preferably is -of a uniform width approximating the combined widths of the second, third and fourth finger stalls, 19, 20 and 21, respectively, of the glove 10, but may be of less width approximating that of the combined widths of the third and fourth finger stalls 20 and 21.

Quick releasable means is provided for attaching the other or free end portion of elastic band 16 to the outer or back side of glove 10, with band 16 stretched under appropriate tension about the outer fingers of a golfers hand grasping the handle or grip porton of the shaft of a golf club. Such attaching rneans comprises cooperating strips of woven nylon fabric having different physical characteristics and which adhere tenaciously to each other when pressed together. Such strips are sold under the trade name of Velcro by American Thread Company of New York, New York, and Chicago, Illinois. One of the Velcro strips has a soft wool-like surface, and is termed the fieecy strip. The other strip has a comparatively roughened and harder surface comprising rows of loops extending outwardly from the fabric body or base of the strip and is termed the burr strip. In FIGURES 2 and 3 two sections of fleecy strip 22 are shown as suitably secured, conveniently by stitching 23 (FIGURE 5 to the normally free end portion of elastic band 16, at the upper or palm side thereof. The sections of fleecy strip 22 cooperate with two sections of burr strip 24 suitably secured, conveniently by stitching, to the back of glove 10, extending from the wrist area toward the finger stalls. The sections 22 and 24 of fleecy strip and burr strip, respectively, are of substantial length, to accommodate wide variation in tension of the elastic band 16 in the use of the glove.

In using the glove of my invention, the handle or grip portion of the shaft of a golf club is grasped in the proper manner. The elastic band 16 is then pulled upward about the outer fingers, preferably the second, third and fourth fingers of the hand, under substantial tension, and is attached to the back of the glove 10 by pressing the sections 22 of fieecy strip firmly against the sections 24 of burr strip. The elastic band 16 is then effectively secured about the last three fingers of the hand under tension, thereby assuring that the grip of those fingers on the handle or grip 25 of the club is maintained; as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. In that manner relaxing of the grip on the club is precluded and objectionable muscular ten- 3 sion due to gripping of the club too tightly is avoided, enabling the golfer to concentrate on hitting the ball rather than on gripping the club. A comparatively small area of contact between the strips 22 and 24 suffices to hold the elastic handle attached to the back of the gloove 1t) and under adequate tension. By having the sections of strips 22 and 24 of considerable length variation in the tension of the elastic band 16, to suit the preference of the individual, is readily accomplished.

I preferably use the Velcro strips for attaching the elastic band 16 to the back of glove It), as being simple and efficient as well as readily adjustable and inexpensive. It will be understood, however, that any suitable attaching means may be used within the broader aspects of my in vention. Also, it is not essential to my invention that the elastic band 16 be of uniform width. Though that is preferred, it will suffice if the portion of band 16 enclosing the last three fingers of the hand is of a width to exert the desired pressure on those fingers for maintaining them firmly gripped about the grip or handle of the club.

The end of elastic band 16 which is secured by stitching 17 to the palm and thumb stall base portions of the glove it) is inclined transversely thereof, as previously stated and shown in FIGURE 1. Accordingly, when the band 16 is in its released and extended condition there shown, it extends from the palm of the glove at a slant such that its inner edge extends across the second finger stall 9 of the glove about midlength of that stall and its outer edge extends outward from the fourth or little finger stall 21 of the glove adjacent the inner end of that stall, as shown. Accordingly, the elastic strip 16 will be properly positioned to enclose the outer, preferably the last three fingers only of a hand gripping the club, when drawn tightly thereabout as above explained, without necessity for care in positioning it. That has the further advantage of assuring that the thumb and the index finger are left free, as and for the reasons above stated. When it is not desired to use the elastic band 16, as when putting for example, it may be turned upward about the base of the thumb stall 18 of glove It with its end portion carrying the fieecy strip 22 turned under and pressed against the burr strip 24. The elastic band 16 is then held in that position, leaving the palm of the glove unobstructed, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. In that connection, it will be noted that the portion of band 16 secured to the glove by stitching 17 is disposed at the inner or heel portion of the palm, in proximity to the wrist. That facilitates turning of the band 16 over the base portion of the thumb stall 18 and the area of the palm is free of any elements which might interfere with gripping of the club when putting, or when, for any reason, it is not desired to use the elastic band 16.

As above indicated, changes in detail may be resorted to without departing from the field and scope of my invention, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claim, in this application in which the preferred form only of my invention has been disclosed.

I claim:

In means for gripping golf clubs and analogous articles; a glove having a back portion, a palm portion, finger stalls and a thumb area and a wrist; an elastic band secured at one end to said palm portion of said glove adjacent said thumb area and at an inclination from the, latter toward said wrist transversely of said palm portion; a first attaching member secured to said back portion of said glove and spaced from said thumb area; and a second attaching member secured to the other end portion of said band and cooperating with said first member for releasably securing said other end portion of said band to said back portion of said glove with said band under tension; said band being of a width to clear the thumb and index finger and to overlie the other fingers of a hand grasping the grip of a golf club, when said band is. secured under tension about the hand, leaving the thumb and index finger of the hand free of pressure exerted by said band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,522,344 Carmin Sept. 20, 1950 2,717,437 De Mestr-al Sept. 13, 1955 2,852,779 Roessler Sept. 23, 1958 

